


The Shadow They Couldn't Escape

by wispmother



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Smut, Medieval Fantasy AU, and a lil sad, contemplating death and then having sex about it, seven thousand steps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-29
Updated: 2015-10-29
Packaged: 2018-04-28 17:16:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5098805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wispmother/pseuds/wispmother
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Barry and Suzy have work to do, building up the Prince's army, but there's always something(s) haunting them at the back of their minds.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Shadow They Couldn't Escape

**Author's Note:**

> This is a story set in the same universe as my other grump fic Seven Thousand Steps, and takes place several months before the events of that fic. This story is spoiler free. Thank you, as always, for reading! :)

Suzy had taken to waiting in the large, empty dining hall of the King’s Estate in Maeliro whenever Barry was gone. As usual, she had perched herself at the back of the hall, stretched unceremoniously over the elaborately carved arm rests of the seat traditionally held by her father, the Minister of War. From her position she was able to watch the tall, thin doors, waiting for them to open and announce the man’s return, whenever that would be. In the meantime, she basked in the silence of the space, thankful for the few moments of peace. These bouts of contract hunting – appealing nobles in the big cities of Althanar to donate soldiers to their cause- were always done by the two of them. Suzy stayed in elf lands, in Maeliro where she was safe but was close enough to attend to business in Waynesse, just through the mountain pass, and Barry would ride out to meet with the nobles on their turf. Barry had left for the capitol city of Carnellian nearly two weeks ago and by now he had been gone a few days longer than expected, and he hadn’t sent word as to why. This left the elf to worry herself into near sickness in the estate the king had allowed them to use during their stay in unassuming border town.

She desperately tried not to think of all the things that could have gone wrong on his trip, and instead focused on nothing, watching the motes of dust dance through the beams of light let in by high windows. It wouldn’t do her any good to dwell on what if’s and speculation. It would only serve to drive her into an early grave, or at least drive her mad enough to do something stupid, like going out to try and find him. Her anxiety was made worse by the fact that he’d gone into the seat of King Jonathan’s court, into the very heart of their enemy’s territory. The risks were far higher in doing so, and the consequences had become the kind that you didn’t recover from. For most of the two weeks, she’d cursed herself for not going in his stead, or at least offering to come with. At least then she wouldn’t feel as if she were constantly on the verge of tears, watching the doors day after day with no respite from her worry.

But in her time to ponder the issue, she knew that she couldn’t have been the one to go. An elf in Carnellian would attract all of the wrong attention; her people were barely tolerated in the city, much less within certain parts of the King’s court. The last thing she or the cause needed was unwarranted attention and questions. Barry, at least, could pass unassumingly. He’d been taught court manner, being the son of a Knight, and the connections given to him by his late father would keep him safe enough in enemy territory. All Suzy could do was hope that that would be enough.

Suddenly, a loud click and the creaking of old iron told the elf that she wasn’t alone anymore. Swinging her legs down to sit properly in the chair, she watched intently to see who had come to join her. Her heart leapt into her throat when she caught sight of the short, solid figure that was distinctly Barry. She stood as he began the walk up the center aisle, passing the empty tables and benches, his leather boots making little sound on the stone floor. Suzy walked down the few steps that elevated the carved thrones, meeting the man at the end of one of the long tables. She smiled tightly at him, taking in his condition before speaking. He looked worn and filthy, and his eyes held a tiredness that Suzy didn’t recognize. But then his eyes met hers, and the tiredness seemed to fade, and he smiled back at her. She struggled for words as she felt herself shake.

“You look exhausted.” Her voice quivered in a way that wasn’t like her, and Barry noticed, setting his pack down at a table and staring hard at her, watching her as if she was about to break.

“Well you sound it,” he answered, his voice low, meant just for her. He reached a hand out, fingertips grazing her cheek before she pressed it into his touch, stepping forward to press the rest of her into him. He carefully wrapped his arms around her, holding her to him as long as she needed. They stood, still and entwined in the silent hall for a long while, letting each other feel heartbeats and breathing. Suzy finally pulled away, her shaking subsided and her voice back under her control.

“You’re late.”

“I know, I’m sorry. I got caught up in Carnellian and then detoured to New Kel in time to take on some new contracts. Full rosters,” he added, his hands still ghosting on her arms and hands, like he didn’t want to truly pull away. Suzy wanted to tell him that she was glad to hear of his success, reiterate how badly they’d needed all of those contracts, but she couldn’t muster up the will to care about them. She leaned into him again, wrapping her arms around him as she buried her face in the crook of his neck.

“Please don’t do that to me again,” she whispered, squeezing her eyes shut against tears that finally spilled over. Barry returned her embrace, holding secure and steady – the very essence of what he was – and let her be as she needed, waiting for her to move first. When she finally did pull away, quickly brushing wet trails from her face, he helped her, brushing new tears away with the pad of his thumb.

“I won’t, I couldn’t.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” she muttered, her gaze roving his face. The man dipped his head, knowing what she meant. This was merely the beginning, the first step in a journey of seven thousand that could end with a heartache neither of them wished to know. They were soldiers, warriors at their core and death was a constant shadow around them. Up until recently, it had been easier to look past it, even forget it for stretches of time when they discovered each other’s warmth during the colder nights in the Elven capitol. But the further they went along this path, the closer the shadow clung to them, and the harder it was to ignore it.

“I can keep it for now,” Barry whispered, leaning forward to press a kiss to Suzy’s forehead, then down to her lips, lingering long and slow, resting their foreheads together. “We can go home. The Prince has enough of an army now.”

“For now,” Suzy corrected him, smiling despite her tone. She pressed another kiss to Barry’s lips before slipping away from him. She turned for one of the side doors, looking back over her shoulder as she spoke. “Next time he has to go and get his own damn contracts.”

“You know that’d never happen,” Barry laughed, picking up the gear he’d dropped, slinging it over his shoulder before following Suzy towards the smaller doors that led out into a service hallway that would lead them to their room in a back tower of the estate.

“I know,” Suzy said, taking Barry’s hand and tugging him through the doorway before letting the heavy wooden slab shut behind them. “Maybe we can hold off on more recruitment until we’re all in Althanar. That’d give us a few months.”

“For what?” Barry asked, voice low and hand tightening around Suzy’s.

“For you to earn my forgiveness, for making me worry.” The elf grinned at him, the look in her eye was familiar to him.

“I could start now,” Barry shot back, returning the grin, unconsciously licking his lips before pulling Suzy back to kiss her, harder and more needy than before. Suzy broke away, beckoning him to follow her. They ran like younger being s through the halls, laughter and soft gasps echoing through empty halls as they made their way to the secluded room they shared.

The door had barely closed behind them when Barry tossed his pack aside again, his hands finding the elf’s hips, gripping her hard over the fabric of her tunic while his hips pressed into hers, telling her in his way how badly he’d missed her, and how desperately he wanted her now. Suzy let out a breathy moan, which fell silent when the knight’s lips found hers, and then her jaw, and then her neck. His hands worked at the lacings of her tunic while she deftly undid belts, gently pushing him back so he could shuck the light traveling armor off of his body, peeling off the rest of his clothes right after. Whenever he returned from things like this, their fucking was always needy and impatient, but something about this time felt like that a hundred-fold.

Devoid of clothing, the room was much colder now, and the couple dove under thick blankets, their hands reacquainting themselves with the other’s body, touches graced points that were known favorites and sighs escaped into the cold air, hanging around them like a cloud.

They moved against each other without speaking, their coupling a familiar and comforting action that didn’t require instruction anymore. As Barry slid into the elf laying under him, he rested his head on her chest, pausing when he was fully enveloped by her. Suzy’s jaw dropped, her hands combing through the man’s dark hair, reassuring him that she appreciated what he was doing.

“Please,” she whispered, high in her throat, and that was enough of a command for the Barry. His pace was quick and primal – the movements of a man who had missed a lover the few weeks he’d been gone. Suzy matched him thrust for thrust, her nails tracing red lines down his back.

Neither lasted long at their pace, Barry growling out a moan as he finished inside the elf, rolling his hips and dipping a hand between them to finish her off, her back arching high off the bed before they both collapsed, out of breath and shivering against the cold air against their skin. Barry grabbed the blankets tossed aside mid-fuck and brought them back up over them, turning so Suzy could curl her slightly smaller body against his.

“Am I forgiven yet?” he asked, kissing the top of her head.

“You’re well on your way,” she responded, reaching for and finding one of his hands. She interlaced her fingers with his, examining them together at eye level. “Do you think this is a good idea?”

“What, us fucking? Yes, it’s probably the best idea we’ve ever had.”

“No, the…the war we’re trying to start.”

“Oh, that.” Barry squeezed back against Suzy’s hand, and inched himself closer to her. “I think it’s the right thing to do. I think the people of Althanar deserve a better ruler. I think our Prince deserves what’s rightfully his.”

“Those things don’t make an idea a good one.” Suzy muttered.

“No, but war isn’t ever a good idea. Sometimes just a necessary one.”

“I want to go home, once it’s over.” Suzy pushed back to look up at Barry. The man nodded, a smile ghosting on his lips.

“Me too.” He muttered, pulling the woman closer again, pressing his lips to her hair, shutting his eyes against the world and the shadow he couldn’t ignore. “Me too.”


End file.
